i o IN TROD UCTOR Y. 



dividing of birds into classes (which is bound to be more or less 

 inaccurate, seeing that several species are found both on the moss 

 and on the shore) in the absence of a more interesting method 

 of chronicling local specimens and my father's numerous notes 

 on them. A regular detailed list of the Birds of Formby would 

 be very far from interesting. Neither is it the writer's intention 

 to attempt to describe the appearance of the birds which occur 

 here ; for no man can describe the appearance of such a bird as 

 a cock teal correctly, and probably half of those who read these 

 notes know the looks of most wild fowl quite as well as the 

 writer. Formby is by no means the desert to the ornithologist 

 which many people would think. Rarities occur here, either in 

 the fields, on the shore or on the mosslands, every year, though 

 in greatly diminishing numbers ; but still, until quite recently, 

 Formby was the scene of the capture of several birds whose 

 appearances in England may be counted upon the fingers of one 

 hand. The writer has divided the birds into four classes in the 

 absence of a better, or rather, a more interesting, method. The 

 " Moss Birds " may be taken as the frequenters of marshy ground 

 and inland waters ; the " Inland Birds " are fowl of the larger 

 inland class ; the smaller birds and the " Shore Fowl " need little 

 explanation. To those who are fond of Natural History, and 

 especially of birds, I commend these rough notes, trusting that, 

 should they find many glaring errors in them, they will point 

 them out to me in order that they may be immediately rectified. 



FORMBY, 



LANCASHIRE. December, 1892. 



